In The Night Again
by Dimpled
Summary: In the dark of the forest, the wicked witch awaits her lover to come and lead her out of her troubled life in Oz. But what erupts in her anxious heart comes with every passing hour that he does not return. A search for him may lead to heartbreak, but also finding out what it really means to love someone lower than yourself.
1. Chapter 1

**This will most likely be a threeshot if it continues. This is also a "Get It All Out" story because I was put down a lot today. So I hope you like it, and maybe you could brighten my day with a review?**

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As every person in Oz slept, the moon became the only light over the vast land. Few people woke early after a night like this. The renowned antagonist of Oz was declared dead.

Everybody agreed that she must be remembered. All over Oz, in fact, she was an intruder to pleasant dreams; a thorn from her mother, the named Rose of West Hardings; an example of wickedness for young children.

Fools.

The night was dark, of course, but if your eyes were indeed open, you could see the anxious eyes and wrung hands of the green woman.

She was alone in the centre of the forest, her long black dress blending in with the night and her pointed hat shielding her face. The atmosphere was a bitter cold, and the soft wind did nothing to help. She was used to cold, though, and it did not bother her.

She stood there, her head tilted and her eyes closed. She was waiting, but she had begun to get quite impatient. She expected to feel strong warm arms come around her lean body any second now, but with every passing second her confidence and expectant heart lost its petals of hope.

Her lover told her he'd come for her soon in a hushed whisper before they shared a kiss just hours ago. He hadn't returned.

The crickets played for her to replace the lovely sounds from the birds. This woman heard her lover play an instrument for her before. She had closed her eyes and listened so carefully, wanting to absorb every aspect of the lulling tune into her craving heart.

She swayed here, in the forest, pretending her paramour was right there with her. That he played his songs to her from his whistle. That they were again, by the warm fire, very much in love...

Her eyes opened, ready to look into his loving blue ones, but she only saw darkness.

She gripped her wooden broom tightly, trying to hold her anger in. What if he saw that she was mad? He may have considered her ungrateful for everything he'd done. And then the witch would surely be alone. Maybe even in this forest. Alone forever.

It was a strong word, forever. Never ending. Eternity. It could mean to very large things: Either peace, bliss and good fortune, or never-ending despair.

The witch jumped as a snap sounded from the bushes. She hiked up her long dress a bit and cautiously ventured toward the sprig of leaves.

"Fiyero?" The woman's voice was kissed by fog, curling and unfurling like a snake before it disappeared.

She slowly extended a shaky hand to push back the bush's leaves, and her heart pounded as a figure jumped out.

The woman fell back onto the cold hard ground, the dirt hitching into the cloth of her dress and her elbows. Scrambling to get up, she thrust an arm out to grab her broom.

The dark figure took the other end of it, the part that pointed at its heart, and stood still.

The wicked witch waited with it, curious to see what it would do, before she saw a long tail peek from behind it. This was not a human.

"My Elphaba?" The figure spoke in a rough, uncertain voice, and she rolled her eyes as she stood.

"Chistery. Why are you out so late?" the green woman asked. She had winced at her name. Elphaba. Used so rarely by others.

"I came to alert you." Chistery leapt up, bowing lowly. As all of Elphaba's flying monkeys, he lived to please her. After all, hadn't she saved them from the famous (or maybe not so famous) wizard of Oz?

"Of what? What could be harm to me?" Elphaba asked. But of course, she knew the answer. Even if Oz believed her to be dead, she still had other friends...and they were very much alive, as well as wandering the streets of Oz.

"It's the prince. Fiyero. He's joined the Gale Force."

"He had joined days ago, dear one. He won't hurt us."

"No," Chistery said in a hoarse whisper. "But they'll hurt _him._"

Elphaba paused, the stirring leaves in the breeze falling against her dress to land peacefully on the ground. She hadn't really thought of Fiyero's protection. Wasn't he safe? Even while Elphaba had thought him vain and brainless, he could actually hold his own ground.

"Fiyero seeks nothing that would bring him harm," She dissmissed the quote with a wave her hand. "He'll be alright. He promised he'd come."

"But wouldn't it be wise to go and see if he's safe? Milady, there are those who doubt him. Oz, yes. They fear he's starting a rebellion."

"The ones who think that have no hope," Elphaba said softly. "They needn't be afraid. I never was."

"But before your mother died, you said you promised her you'd do great things!" Chistery declared. And it was true. Elphaba did remember making that promise 23 years ago, when she was just a child, standing by the deathbed of her expectant mother. Chistery had grown fond of Fiyero, and he'd remind Elphaba of her promise every so often when she felt she needed to stay put where she was.

Tonight was no different, in both Chistery's good intentions and the returning dismissive wave of Elphaba's hand.

"I did promise my other I do something great," She replied. "But I never said I would do something good."

Chistery bowed his head and folded his hands. "You used to be different."

Elphaba's mouth turned down. "Well, then, if you're so eager to find him..."

Elphaba did miss him with all her heart. If Fiyero did not return, her heart would break. More than it had already. And then who was to stop the Wicked Witch of the West?

Elphaba patted her monkey's arm.

"Come now," she whispered. "I know what it means to fly."


	2. Chapter 2

Of course, Chistery wouldn't have any of it. Elphaba sought to fly and look for Fiyero with him, but Chistery knew the way, and it was nearer than Elphaba thought. He led her down the narrow forest floor, scurry and swing from limb to limb.

"Fiyero is _this _way?" Elphaba's eyes widened quite a bit, the small pupil circles of chocolate brown sweeping the scene around her. "Why hasn't he fled from here? He hasn't..." Her voice broke, and she cursed herself for her weakness.

It was the most Oz-damned stupid weakness ever. The girl who knew she'd never be loved, and never love in return...her greatest weakness was the mere lack of it.

Why must life be so confusing.

She knew very well why Fiyero didn't come for her. Maybe this was it. To persuade Chistery to lead her to him, so long as she was sucked into his love trap. Then, without any warning, hesitance, or apology, he'd trap her. Inprison her. For something the wizard did. Just like that.

Well, then. _She _didn't want him either. Let him not come. She'd get along quite nicely with her broom and all, thank you very much. And to hell with love!

Chistery read her dim expression. "Don't worry, milady," He said calmly. "You will find a way."

"What if I'm caught, and Oz hunts me again?" Elphaba said anxiously. Her long dark braid that fell over her shoulder whipped back behind her head as the air ran through the forest. In the gust of wind, Her arm came over her eyes, and it spared her of Chistery's sad eyes.

"Even I can see that Fiyero is in love with you," The flying monkey replied. "He will see to it that you're not caught."

"My mother was always so sure of my protection," Elphaba began her point as the moon hid behind the clouds and darkness covered them once again. "And look what my father did. He ruined me."

"He did not." Chistery stopped walking. His tail curled and unfurled in a whip-like force. "You are much stronger than you know. Forgive me."

Elphaba paused and looked behind her shoulder. "How long have we been walking, dear one?"

"Far enough to rest." the monkey read her tired look and sat down on a nearby cold stone bench with her.

Elphaba looked where they sat and looked up at the hunched shadowed trees in the dark of the night. "Why would someone sit here?"

"Perhaps when there is day, there is beauty to see." Chistery replied.

At the word beauty, Elphaba had a vision of her sister. She saw her pink lips in a smile, her brown hair pulled back by a hairband, and her glittery shoes on her feet. Her sister. Her dead...very much dead...sister.

"Do you suppose Nessarose found me pretty?"

Chistery thought for a moment. It wasn't usual that his mistress asked such frivolous questions, like that of one so much younger than her. Surely a strong woman like her wouldn't care of her appearance?

Chistery came to an answer, looking in the supposed direction of her hidden face.

"I did not know your sister, miss. Nor do I know what she thought. But what I do know is this; what I think of you. I find you beautiful, but more from the inside. Your heart for animals and Animals alike is the centre of wonder and amazement. Your mother loved you, and yes, perhaps your sister. Your brother is too young to know any feelings for you. Do you remember when you brought him to the castle? He was terrified of me.

"Elphaba, to me you are the pinnacle of all wonder, the master of strength, and the emperor of kindness. Without you, where would I be, with my wife and sons without you? I would be behind cold bars, under the watch of a humbug. But Elphaba, you rose above every obstacle. You are beautiful. For true beauty is not seen with eyes; your eyes die before your heart."

Elphaba smiled and pulled Chistery to her side.


End file.
